Human life is characterized by tensions at each stage and the ability to address these speaks of the personality of an individual. The uncertainty about future and the unpredictability of outcomes of human efforts are necessary and unavoidable tensions. In fact, civilizations and progress are the result of human endeavours to take care of these tensions.

The organisations and institutions humankind has evolved over the years in any national or international context are the means to address these tensions and thereby take the civilisation forward.

But in Manipur: But in Manipur we face a tension too many which are not only unwarranted, but unaddressed as well. These tensions mark the whole society as well as every agent in it. What I plan to talk of is not the tensions inherent in an armed-conflict situation, but of those outside of it.

Let us start for the fundamental ingredient for modern development and its sustenance. Education is the only non-controversial factor globally accepted as fundamental for progress. Any society anywhere in the world takes utmost care and unmixed devotion to ensure the functioning of its educational system.

But Manipur is an exception. The most common and serious tension characterising the State is the one related to education of children. It is a feature true right from primary education to terminal university education. Every parent is concerned about where to initiate a child’s education. This is a tension absolutely costly and socially destabilising.

Once the school education has been taken care of somehow, the next is the near unavailability of institutions for the secondary level education, which is a turning point for every student.

While the weaknesses of the high school and secondary level education have somehow been addressed, though to a very limited extent, by private initiatives, the post secondary level or university education is in absolute mess in the State. While in quite a few quarters, talks are heard of vocationa-lisation of education and all that, we fail to appreciate the fact of traditional subjects still being taught and researched upon globally. What we have in Manipur is not lack of vocationalisation, but absolute failure of university level education in the State. We hardly have any college functioning as it should. This is not because of lack of demand for education in the State and lack of vocationalisation, but plain failure of the institutions themselves.

The next tension in Manipur is the tension for livelihood. An individual might be sincere and might have completed her education by dint of her efforts. But this sincerity is no guarantee to a job by the largest employer in Manipur, the state. Sincerity and efficiency are not qualities important and rewarded by the government of the land in so far as recruitment for jobs is concerned. This tension is further aggravated by the uncertainty even among those insincere and capable of greasing the right palms. Greasing the right palms does not necessarily guarantee one’s entry into a post. When the entire process gets completed, there arise another two tensions. First, there is the responsibility of the incumbent to pay-off the debts incurred. Secondly, the relationship and regard system between those greased-in and the left-out is never a smooth one besides being very destabilising socially.

The two tensions we have just mentioned are individual based tensions. We have seen to it that these are coupled by group-based tensions. It is increasingly becoming uncertain as to what is going to be the ultimate shape of the group relationships in the State. The solution or otherwise of these tensions would have large implications for geography, polity, society and economy of Manipur.

Unfortunately: What is really disturbing is the absolute non-concern being displayed by those agents responsible for addressing these tensions. The State government has shown neither commitment nor urgency to address the education related tensions in the State. The highest educational institution in Manipur as well has yet to prove its academic orientation and eagerness to provide academic leadership to the State. This is true in the case of the other tensions as well. The relevant institutions in the state have not shown any application of mind for resolving these tensions.

This is Where: This is where we have to raise our individual and collective voice to demand what we deserve. If the government cannot ensure us functioning and capable educational institutions, we do not need this government. By the same logic, if Manipur University cannot provide academic leadership to the State, we do not need the university in its current form and format. A university is never for its employees, but for the society it situates in.

As regards the second tension I have mentioned, it would be unrealistic to imagine a potential way of addressing this without improving the educational scenario. There are many instances in global development history, particularly in mediaeval Europe, as how group tensions have been addressed by evolving appropriate institutions for enhancing reliable interaction. But there is no example where tensions of the present Manipur-type led to any positive outcome. Ultimately it is the right as well the choice of the people. All depends on how we exercise our individual and collective power towards what ends.